Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Prayers for Election Day

Those who know me well know that Stanley Hauerwas has been pretty influential on my thinking. Here's a prayer of his from Prayers Plainly Spoken called "A Prayer on Election Day":

Sovereign Lord, foolish we are, believing that we can rule ourselves by selecting this or that person to rule over us. We are at it again. Help us not to think it more significant than it is, but also give us and those we elect enough wisdom to acknowledge our follies. Help us laugh at ourselves, for without humor our politics cannot be humane. We desire to dominate and thus are dominated. Free us, dear Lord, for otherwise we perish. Amen.

And then my own prayer in these days (largely taken from scripture):

God in Christ, lead us by your Spirit: We, like sheep, have gone astray. We've sold out our devotion to you and your Son, the God-man, for the eloquent words and safe promises of men. Thank you for the sacrifice that's already taken care of our iniquity. Yet...help our love to flourish more and more now, as we seek to make discernment. As we cast a vote for the future of an earthly nation, remind us foremost of the coming of your Kingdom in and through us, your subjects, the citizens of the eternal nation.Even as I enter the days ahead, be them down one path or another, help us, your people, to love and submit to one another and Christ. Amen.

(I have another one for the day after the election. If I don't post it, somebody remind me.)